The Sermon on the Mount 1 UDB When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a hillside. He sat down there and taught his followers. They came near to him to listen to him. BSB BSB: When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain and sat down. His disciples came to Him,
2 UDB Then he began to teach them by saying, BSB BSB: and He began to teach them, saying:
The Beatitudes (Psalm 1:1–6; Luke 6:20–23)
3 UDB "God is pleased with people who admit that they need him; he will agree to rule over them from heaven. BSB BSB: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 UDB God is pleased with people who mourn because of this sinful world; he will encourage them. BSB BSB: Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 UDB God is pleased with people who are humble; they will inherit the earth that God will make new. BSB BSB: Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6 UDB God is pleased with people who desire to live righteously just as someone might wish to eat and drink; he will make them able to live righteously. BSB BSB: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7 UDB God is pleased with people who act mercifully toward others; he will act mercifully toward them. BSB BSB: Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8 UDB God is pleased with people who try to do only that which pleases him; they will be where God is and they will see him. BSB BSB: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
10 UDB God is pleased with people who live righteously; he is honored when their righteous lives are the reason why evil people insult them and treat them badly. God rules over these righteous people from heaven. BSB BSB: Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 UDB God is pleased with you when other people insult you for my sake, and he is honored when they do evil things to you and when they tell lies about you, saying that you are evil. BSB BSB: Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
12 UDB When that happens, rejoice and be glad because God will give you a great reward in heaven. Remember, that is how they persecuted the prophets who lived long ago. BSB BSB: Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.
Salt and Light (Mark 9:49–50; Luke 14:34–35; Philippians 2:12–18)
13 UDB "What salt does for food, this is what you will do for the world. But if salt loses its power, no one can make it good again. People just throw it out and walk over it. BSB BSB: You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
14 UDB What light does for people in the dark, this is what you will do for the world. All people will see you, just as they see a city built on a hillside. BSB BSB: You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 UDB No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket. Instead, they put it on a lampstand so it can give light to everyone in the house. BSB BSB: Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
16 UDB Similarly, you need to do what is right in such a way that other people can see what you do. When they see it, they will praise your Father who is in heaven. BSB BSB: In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
The Fulfillment of the Law 18 UDB This is a true saying: God may remove the heaven and the earth, but God will not remove anything from those laws, not even the smallest details or a tiny dot used to end a sentence, until God makes everything he put in the law happen, just as he said it would. BSB BSB: For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
19 UDB Because that is true, if you break the commands that are the least important, you will be the least important person under God's rule from heaven. But if you keep all those commands and teach others to obey God as you are obeying him, you will become very important in God's rule from heaven. BSB BSB: So then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 UDB I tell you that you must obey those laws better than the teachers of the law, and you must do what is right from your heart. And you must do better than the Pharisees or you will never come under the rule of God from heaven. BSB BSB: For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Anger and Reconciliation (Luke 12:57–59)
21 UDB "Others have told you what God said to our ancestors, 'You must not kill anyone,' and, 'If you kill anyone, the members of a governing council might sentence you.' BSB BSB: You have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not murder’ and ‘Anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’
22 UDB But I tell you that if you are angry with anyone, God himself will judge you. If you say to someone, 'You are worthless,' a governing council will judge you. If you say to someone, 'You are a fool,' God will throw you into the fire in hell. BSB BSB: But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the fire of hell.
23 UDB So when you take your gift for God to the altar, if you remember that you have offended someone, BSB BSB: So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,
24 UDB leave your gift by the altar, and first go to the person you have offended. Tell that person that you are sorry for what you have done, and ask that person to forgive you. Then go back and offer your gift to God. BSB BSB: leave your gift there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
25 UDB If a fellow citizen takes you to court in order to accuse you of doing something wrong, come to an agreement quickly with that person, while you are still walking with that person to court. Do that while there still is time so that he will not take you to the judge, because the judge might say you are guilty and hand you over to the prison guard, and the prison guard will put you in prison. BSB BSB: Reconcile quickly with your adversary, while you are still on the way to court. Otherwise, he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.
26 UDB Keep this in mind: If you go to prison, you will never get out because you will never be able to pay all that the judge says that you owe. So remember also to be at peace with your brothers. BSB BSB: Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
Adultery (Leviticus 18:1–30)
27 UDB "You have heard that God said to our ancestors, 'Do not commit adultery.' BSB BSB: You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’
28 UDB But what I say to you is this: If a man even just looks at a woman and desires to sleep with her, God considers that he has already committed adultery with her in his mind. BSB BSB: But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29 UDB If you want to sin because you have looked at certain things, then stop looking at them. Even if you have to destroy both of your eyes, do it if that would make you able to avoid sinning. It would be better to be blind and stop sinning, than for God to throw you into hell while you can still see. BSB BSB: If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
30 UDB And if one of your hands causes you to sin, stop using your hand. Even if you have to cut your hand off and throw it away, do it if that would make you able to avoid sinning. It would be better to lose a part of your body than for God to throw your whole body into hell. BSB BSB: And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to depart into hell.
Divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1–5; Luke 16:18)
31 UDB "God has said in the scriptures, 'If a man is divorcing his wife, he should write a document on which he states that he is divorcing her.' BSB BSB: It has also been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’
32 UDB But now listen to what I say to you: A man may divorce his wife only if she has committed adultery. If a man divorces his wife for any other reason, she commits adultery if she marries someone else. And the man who marries her also commits adultery. BSB BSB: But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, brings adultery upon her. And he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Oaths and Vows (Numbers 30:1–16)
33 UDB "You have also heard that long ago people were told, 'You should never swear an oath by making up a lie! Instead, you should make your promises as you would if the Lord himself were standing before you.' BSB BSB: Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’
34 UDB But now I will say to you something more: Do not swear an oath for any reason! Do not ask the place where God lives in heaven to guarantee what you promised. That is where his great seat of power is and from where he rules over all things. BSB BSB: But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
35 UDB "And do not swear any oath on the promise that the earth would witness it. Do not do this, because the earth is where God rests his feet. Never swear an oath by the city of Jerusalem, because Jerusalem is the city that belongs to God, our great King. BSB BSB: or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
36 UDB "Also, do not promise that you will do something and then say that they should cut off your head if you do not do it. How could you promise something so important, when you are not even able to change the color of one hair on your head? BSB BSB: Nor should you swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black.
37 UDB If you talk about doing something, just say 'Yes, I will do it,' or 'No, I will not do it.' If you say anything more than that, it is Satan, the Evil One, who has suggested that you talk this way. BSB BSB: Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ Anything more comes from the evil one.
Love Your Enemies (Leviticus 24:17–23; Luke 6:27–36)
39 UDB But now listen to what I say to you: Far from taking revenge on someone who harms you, do not even try to stop him. Instead, if someone insults you by striking you on one cheek, turn your other cheek toward that person so he can strike it also. BSB BSB: But I tell you not to resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also;
40 UDB If someone wants to sue you in a court to get your tunic, let that person have both it and your outer garment, too, which is even of more worth to you. BSB BSB: if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well;
41 UDB And if a Roman soldier forces you to go with him one mile and carry his gear, carry it for two miles. BSB BSB: and if someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
42 UDB Also, if someone asks you for something, give it to him. If someone asks you to lend him something, go ahead and lend it to him. BSB BSB: Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
46 UDB If you love only the people who love you, do not expect God to reward you at all! Even people who do terrible things, such as tax collectors, love those who love them. You must act better than they do! BSB BSB: If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same?
47 UDB Yes, and if you greet only your friends and ask God to bless them, you are not acting any better than other people. Even Gentiles, who do not obey God's law, do the same thing! BSB BSB: And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even Gentiles do the same?
48 UDB So you must be completely faithful to God your Father in heaven, just as he is completely faithful to you. BSB BSB: Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.